J. R. Stafford is a US Air Force Veteran serving from 1964-1968 with US Air Force Security Service (USAFSS), in Kyushu, Japan and Da Nang, South Vietnam. He later joined the US Coast Guard Reserve in August 1974 and served in uniform for the next 32 years of active and reserve duty, retiring as a Master Chief Port Security Specialist in May 2006. He then returned to the Coast Guard as a civilian member of the US Coast Guard’s FORCECOM Exercise Support Team #5 located in Alameda, California in 2008. During his additional 8 years with the Coast Guard, Mr. Stafford developed, implemented and evaluated a wide range of multi-agency exercises and training (including oil spill response, area maritime security, mass rescue operations and continuity of operations planning) throughout North America. He has also served as an Incident Command Systems (ICS) Instructor and ICS Coach during exercises and training venues in Alaska, Guam, the Panama Canal and Mexico. He assisted the Coast Guard’s International Training Team training responders in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics and the Mexican Navy/Marine Corps in Campeche, Mexico in 2016. While attached to CG Exercise Support, Mr. Stafford helped plan and facilitate a large “National Level” multi-agency two week exercise in the Pacific Northwest based on a huge earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone in June 2016.
Prior to retiring from a 2002-2006 active duty stint with the Coast Guard, MCPO Stafford served as the senior ICS Instructor in the Coast Guard’s Pacific Area (PACAREA), where he taught ICS in Singapore, Tokyo, Saipan, Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska. He also served as Plans Section Chief, (PSC) at Sector Mobile, AL in September 2005 in the days and weeks immediately following Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States. He also worked as a Pollution Investigator with Marine Safety Office (MSO) Valdez, in 1989 during the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. During his Coast Guard career Master Chief Stafford served as a Marine Firefighting Coordinator, Port Security Specialist, Command “Silver Badge” MCPO for PACAREA Port Security Detachment attached to Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 2004. He was also a Commandant appointed “Gold Badge” Command Master Chief (RCMC) 1999-2002 for the 11th Coast Guard District. MCPO Stafford also earned his US Coast Guard Marine Safety and Environmental Protection Professional Device (“M” pin) in 2001 and earned his FEMA Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) Certification in 2009.
Master Chief Stafford’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM); the Meritorious Service Medal, (MSM); the Coast Guard Commendation Medal (CGCM); and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal, (CGAM) (3). As a member of the 6924th Security Squadron stationed in Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive, he is also authorized to wear the USAF Outstanding Unit Award (with Combat “V”).
Mr. Stafford’s civilian employment included over 30 years of professional Fire Service in Santa Clara County, California. As a State Certified Fire Officer, he worked with various agencies including the Stanford University Fire Department, The Santa Clara County Fire Marshal’s Office, The Santa Clara City Fire Department and the Mountain View Fire Departments, serving in positions of Firefighter, Engineer, Deputy Fire Marshal, Fire Investigator, Training Officer, and Office of Emergency Services (OES) Chief. During his fire service career he was on duty for the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and recovery and served for 30 days of “mutual aid” with California Office of Emergency Serves (CALOES) following the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and recovery in Southern California. He also served as OES Assistant Coordinator during two Federal declared flood disasters in the Mtn. View, CA. A Certified Emergency Manager (CEM®) with the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) since 2000, Mr. Stafford continues to maintain his certification as an Emergency Manager every five years.
Mr. Stafford holds a BS degree in Safety Management from Cogswell College, and an AS degree in Fire Science from San Jose City College. He holds a lifetime teaching credential with the State of California, earned in 1982, and has served as an Instructor on the adjunct staffs of the University of California’s California Maritime Academy, (CMA) located in Vallejo, CA; Cogswell Polytechnical College, Cupertino, CA; and Mission College in Santa Clara, CA instructing subjects which include: Fire Science, Safety Management, Industrial Emergency Response Team (ERT) training, Port Safety, Marine Fire Fighting, and Emergency Response in Ports.
Retiring from US Coast Guard Government Service (GS) in late 2016, J. R. now spends volunteer time with the Washoe County Office of Emergency Services (OES) as a Plan Section Chief and Exercise Planner. He began painting watercolors in January, 2017 and is a member of the Sierra Watercolor Society (SWS) in Northern, NV. He now spends time volunteering in various schools in the Reno/Sparks area teaching watercolor painting to elementary school students.